


Sap

by shootingstarsora



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Soriku - Freeform, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-18 20:33:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16126208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shootingstarsora/pseuds/shootingstarsora
Summary: Were things always this way? Finally figuring it all out.





	Sap

**Author's Note:**

> This was so self indulgent. I'm so sorry.

Callouses. It was the first thing he noticed as their fingers entwined. Sora imagined they'd probably always been a little rough, the same as his own. They had spent years playing with wooden swords, building raft prototypes and climbing rocks. They played in dirt, sand, mud, water - They swung from tree branches and dangled from ropes, flinging themselves into the waiting springs below. Just being children was enough to leave them with more scrapes, cuts and bruises than he could ever begin to keep track of. It was no wonder that his hands felt this way. Still -- As they lay together silently in their hammock, listening to the waves that reminded them of home, he let his thumb brush against Riku's warm, rough skin.

To Sora, Riku was perfect. The way he always inhaled before he smiled and the way his eyes squinted a bit when he did. The way he was so careful when he spoke now. The way he fought to defend those he loved and -- Sora let himself press into him and smiled, his nose nuzzling into Riku's arm. He knew it was ridiculous, but when he thought of holding Riku's hand recently, he thought they would be soft. Perfect. Like the rest of him. He silently laughed at himself. As if rough hands made him less perfect.

He let his gaze shift from the water to their hands, still clasped tight together. Riku's thumb gently rubbing Sora's skin. This wasn't the first time they had held hands. They used to do it a lot when they were little, but he was sure this time was different. It felt different when they crawled into the hammock together. It felt different when they talked quietly, laughing about one thing or the other. It felt different when they fell quiet, losing themselves to the sounds of the waves against the shore. Maybe it was that they hadn't seen each other in a while. Maybe it was because this was the first time in a long time that they didn't have to worry about anything. No heartless, no Organization. Just peace. Whatever world Master Yensid had sent them off to -- It was quiet. Safe. He felt his heart beating, his breathing in time with Riku's. 

Time slowed. 

"You okay?" Riku's voice was quiet, gentle. Sora let his eyes close and smiled, his body pressed against Riku's. Warm and comfortable. It was the first thing either of them had said since their fingers laced together. Since the Mark of Mastery, Riku had asked him that question almost daily. Sometimes even more than that.

"Yeah. Just," he breathed slowly, his hand gripping tighter, "comfortable." He felt Riku shift, turning onto his side to face him, their limbs tangling together. Sora felt his freckled cheeks flush as his head tilted back to meet Riku's gaze. Their hands adjusted, still wrapped together, almost as if they were afraid to let go. Riku inhaled - And smiled. Perfect. Riku let his eyes close and Sora's eyes wandered. 

Riku had circles under his eyes. Evidence of sleepless nights, worrying, training -- Sora wished he could make it easier for him. He knew that he was one of the reasons Riku sat awake at night, fussing. Riku had always wanted to protect him. He had promised Sora, the night of that meteor shower when they were young that he would. And ever since then, he had tried. Sora's eyes traced the small scar on his jawline. It had faded -- But it would always remind him of the fight Riku had gotten into when he was only 13.

An older boy, one a year older than Riku, had decided he wanted to pick on the boy with stars in his eyes. Sora, the kid who almost always smiled, and could talk you into oblivion. Bullies always did that -- Picked on the ones they thought were easy targets. Sora had always been good about getting out of sticky situations but when this big kid shoved him to the ground from behind, he was caught off guard. He sneered at him, laughed as Sora looked down to his skinned and bloodied knees with tears in his eyes. His face distorting, trying to be strong, trying to be unafraid.

"What, are you goin' to cry?" He had snickered, mocking his puffy eyes. "Go ahead and cry, baby!" 

Sora rubbed at his eyes, a quiet sob caught in his throat as he stood and squared his small shoulders. Defiant. He balled his fists.

"Hey!" 

Their heads turned towards the familiar voice. Riku -- There to keep his promise. Thinking back on it now, Sora laughed to himself. Riku had been standing there, his arms crossed and his lips pursed. He looked like the superheroes they used to read about in comic books. He walked forward, Sora grinned.

"You're in trouble now..."

The boy scoffed, turning his nose up in Riku's direction. "Yeah? What's Riku gonna do, huh? Scowl at me? Oh, so scary!" He laughed.

"Leave him alone." It was the only warning Riku gave him.

"Or what?" He reached out, hand grabbing for Sora's shirt. Sora smiled and took one small step back and --

WHACK.

The boy stumbled, his hand going to his bloodied forehead as the rock Riku had thrown hit the ground. "Wha..! You -- You little -" He ran at Riku - Sora right behind, ready to join in the fight. 

The scuffle had only lasted a few minutes before a teacher dragged them apart. Though, not before Riku hit the concrete, face first, leaving a small gash on his pale jaw. They were all grounded. Riku got stitches. 

"Did you bite him?" Riku had asked quietly on their way home.

"Sure did." Sora beamed and Riku laughed.

He smiled at the memory, his heart fluttering in his chest. Were things really different? Or was it that things were finally starting to make some sense? Sora closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling of Riku's chest, rising and falling as he breathed. He hesitated for a moment before pulling his hand away, though it didn't go far. He brought it up higher, letting his fingers just barely brush that bit of raised skin.

He felt Riku's soft inhale. He froze, fingers feather light against Riku's warm skin. Neither moved for a moment, Riku's eyes stayed closed, silver lashes against his skin. Sora's breath caught in his throat. This boy was beautiful. He let his hand cup Riku's warm cheek, studying each line and curve of his face. He's always been beautiful. Riku opened his eyes, a brow raising.

"Wh - what?!" Sora stammered, letting his hand fall away from Riku's face. He could feel the heat in his cheeks. Fantastic.

Riku grinned and shook his head. "Nothing. You're just --" He paused, his eyes following the curve of Sora's cheek, lingering on his lips for a moment before meeting his eyes once more. "You're something else."

"Something else?" Sora pursed his lips, his own brow raising in question. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're a sap. You've always been a sap."

"I am not!" He grumbled, his voice cracking -- Though he couldn't keep the smile from his lips. This was different. It felt right.

"You are." Riku's hand moved to rest against Sora's cheek, their eyes never breaking contact. 

Sora swallowed, letting himself get lost, forgetting everything around them. Forgetting his responsibilities, his missions, his enemies, the dark, the light, Kingdom Hearts. Forgetting the world. There was nothing. Just him. Just Riku. "Okay so... Maybe I am." He shrugged, tilting into Riku's touch. "So what's your excuse, huh?" 

Riku paused, and Sora could feel his sharp intake of breath. Did he say something wrong? Offend him? That was hardly fair. If Riku was going to get away with picking on him, there was no way Sora wouldn't pick right back. So --

"I just..." Riku sighed, his head tilting forward. He adjusted in the hammock, shifting down a little more. His hand moved from Sora's cheek down the curve of his neck, down his shoulder, his arm, and rested on his waist. "Sora I --" He pressed their foreheads together. His entire body tensing up. They held their breath.

Silence. Was it seconds? Minutes? Hours? Sora closed his eyes --

"I know." Exhale.

"What?" Riku asked, the word shaking from his mouth.

"I know." Sora smiled, nuzzling his freckled nose against Riku's own. "I think I've known for a while." 

Riku laughed.

"What?!" Sora pulled away, glaring daggers into Riku's eyes. "Why are you laughing?!"

"You really are a sap." He smiled, Sora's stare having no effect.

"Wha -- Wait! So that's all you have to say now?" His lips curled into a smile, his fist halfheartedly knocking into Riku's shoulder. "The least you could do is tell me if I'm right or not. Or -- You know, if you even understand what I'm getting at?"

"Of course I understand. I know you better than you do." Riku touched their foreheads together again, his eyes closing. "But the same goes for you, I think."

"Psh. You got that right. You doubt yourself too much. It's just like our Mark of Mastery exam. I knew you could pass! You were all like --" Sora pouted his lips and dropped his voice. "I don't know if I can pass. I'm still not in control of the darkness. Blah blah blah."

"Is that what I sound like?"

"Sure it is." Sora smiled, his hand gripping onto the fabric of Riku's shirt. "What did you think you sounded like?"

"I don't know. I always thought I sounded a little cooler than that."

"I'll keep working on it then." He nodded, their noses brushing. Riku made a soft sound of agreement, then once again, they sat in silence. 

So what now? Sora's eyes fluttered shut, his heart beat fast. It was strange, thinking about it now. How long had they been keeping these feelings locked away? Were they the last ones to know about them? 

"Sora?"

"Hm?" Neither opened their eyes. Neither dared to move closer. The sun sank lower, just barely touching that distant line where the ocean met the sky. 

"Do you?"

"Do I..?" Sora knew exactly what he was asking and that was the question now, wasn't it? Did he? 

Of course he loved Riku. He's always loved him and he would never stop. But -- He let himself curl closer, letting his body press against Riku's. It was bigger, bulkier. He felt secure, warm, comfortable. It was all so familiar. Even the smell of him tied him to the ground. Everything about Riku kept Sora's mind from splitting into a thousand little pieces. It kept him together. Kept him steady. It didn't matter where they were. With Riku, anywhere was home. 

He smiled, his hand finding Riku's where it set still on his waist. He remembered the necklace around his neck -- Riku's promise to protect him. He remembered the fear he had felt when he couldn't find him. He remembered the joy when they reunited. He thought of the long nights they spent together, playing games, telling scary stories, building forts. They would sneak out late at night and go to the island, and lay on the sand -- Watching the stars. They held hands.

"Of course I do." Sora paused, opened his eyes and found Riku's. How long had he been watching him? He smiled, hoping to ease the nerves that were obvious on Riku's face.

The breeze blew gently, sending a rustle through the trees. 

"It just -- It took me a while to realize how." He shrugged his shoulders, the sun reflecting in his eyes. Riku could see for miles in them. "You know what I mean?"

Riku nodded. It looked like he was going to throw up. "Mm."

Sora laughed a bit, his hand running through Riku's soft, wind tousled hair. "I love you."

Riku let out a long breath, the color returning to his face. "You know, if you're joking to make fun of me..."

"You really think I'm that mean? Jeez Riku! I thought you knew me better than that!" Sora raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, okay! I just..." 

"I know." He smiled again, reassuring. "It's okay... But -- I mean it." His fingers ran through his hair again, finding comfort in Riku's face finally relaxing. 

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that." Riku shifted again, tangling their limbs together as they had been before. He buried his face in the crook of Sora's neck, holding him as if he was about to slip away.

"Then..." Sora wrapped his arms around him, keeping him close, making sure he didn't slip. Trying to keep him from the doubt -- "I'll say it every day. I'll make sure of it. I'll say it so much, you'll get tired of hearing it."

"Are -- You really sure you're okay with... Me? With how I am? I've --"

"Riku. You're perfect how you are. I love you how you are." Sora's arms tightened, his cheek pressing into Riku's hair. "Darkness or no darkness. Master or not. Happy or sad. I don't care if you have soft hair or smooth hands or pretty skin -- You're perfect. I love you. I'm just sorry it took me so long." He nuzzled into him. "I love you. I love you. I loo-vee you!"

There was another moment of silence, the sun falling behind the horizon. Riku's shoulders twitched, then his body shook with laughter. "You sap."


End file.
